Alabama Football Rank Number One in New Preseason Poll

Running back Josh Jacobs #8 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to escape a tackle by linebacker Christian Miller #47 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during Alabama's A-Day spring practice game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on April 22, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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The Alabama Crimson Tide didn’t finish last year on top, but according to the first USA Today Amway Coaches Poll, it’s still the favorite team heading into the 2017 college football season.

Alabama got the lion’s share of the votes (49 out 65) first place votes. The remaining top five picks are Ohio State (five votes), Florida State (four votes), USC and Clemson (seven votes).

Last season, Alabama lost in the last second of the National Championship game to Clemson. This is the fourth time that Alabama has been ranked Number One heading into the season. None of those three previous times did it win the title. In the four championship seasons under head coach Nick Saban, Alabama was not favored coming into the season.

The poll favorites include six SEC teams, five ACC teams, for Big 10 teams, and four in the PAC 12. The Crimson Tide is the only SEC team in the Top 10. LSU is the next highest at Number 12. All four of the Big 10 teams are in the Top 10.